So, just for fun, I decided to take an online world history test and failed majorly. I need to read a book or 2(hundred).

I watched the MJ Memorial today and cried a few times. Particularly, during the appearances by Brooke, Stevie and daughter Paris. I don't think Paris was exploited. Nor do I think I think she "faked it" as some bloggers have suggested. I also think this whole "he's not the father" shit. The kids are all old enough to read and understand these headlines. Whether he is their biological father is irrelevant. He was the only parent they ever knew, and now he's gone. People should back off.

What do These Kids Listen to these Days?

Yesterday while riding in the car to the beach Z100 was playing. Almost every song that played on the radio made me think "Eeeeeew, what is this?" When you listen to top 40 radio and think "Damn, this sucks" (having grown up on it) You're officially getting old. Lately, sans "Knock me Down" by Ms. Keri Hilson and some less famous neyo Soul acts discovered via ITunes...My Ipod has been dominated by MJ/J5 and various 90s-early 2000 music. For every current hit...I have atleast 20 old school tracks.

I'm an old lady!!

Parents, You're supposed to be the adults here!



CNN reports that a Long Island Social worker a posted a sexually suggestive ad giving the name and phone number of a nine year old girl.
According to CNN, Margery Tannenbaum posted the ad to seek revenge against the minor after a dispute between her and Tannenbaum.
The nine year old girl's mother claimed to have received 40 phone calls, 22 in one day, all from men unaware that they were calling a nine year old girl.
Earlier this week, the Myspace Mom, Lori Drew, was acquitted. In this case, the mother posted a fake Myspace page posing as a teenage boy. The "teenage boy" had a "relationship" with a young girl who attended school with the woman's daughter. The woman claimed to have made the fake Myspace page to find out if the other teenager was gossiping about her daughter. The mother took it a step further by having the teenage boy dump the young girl and tell her the world would be better off without her. As a mother of a teenage girl, she had to know how sensitive they tend to be. Teenagers, especially girls, tend to make bigger productions of things then necessary. Knowing this, she had to be aware that making such a statement could very well have pushed the young girl over the edge. How can a mother feel good about causing a teenager girl to commit suicide? Further, a teenage girl who's mother was a close friend? A lack of laws revolving cyber-bulling allowed Drew to get away this. Regardless of the law her actions were disgusting
Both of these stories involved mothers going to extreme lengths to prevent their child from being bullied. When I was a kid, in most cases, bullying and being picked on was part of life and something I handled on my own. Admittedly, in second grade there was an incident where my mother become involved after I was harassed on the bus. But in this case, my mother called the other mother and talked the matter over. That is what adults do. They talk things out.
Parents are supposed to be the adults. Role Models. Posing as a boy and dumping an enemy or posting a sexually suggestive post are stunts I would expect from an immature 12 year-old girl-NOT HER MOTHER. Seriously, ladies GROW UP.

Michael Jackson Media Overload: Blame it on ME!

I was getting my haircut at my local salon when the shocking announcement was broadcast on the radio: "We have very sad news,TMZ.com reports pop star Michael Jackson is dead at age 50".


At first, before they declared cardiac arrest as the cause, I though this was just a sick joke. Jackson has been the punch line for everyone for years, I figured that was all this was,but alas, it wasn't a joke or wild rumor-it was a fact. Upon realizing this, I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. I felt sadder then I ever would have imagined I'd feel about the death of someone who I really didn't know. I almost cried in the chair, which made feel more than foolish as, I don't Micheal at all.
Since his death, his face, songs, memories, and scandals have been every where. And while criticism has been high, as has the mocking, I felt a sense of comfort in knowing that I was not the only fan mourning his loss as though he were a friend.

Despite his odd behavior, strange appearance and the scandalous gossip that has surround him through out his career (particularly in the last 15 years) his music and memories are such a part of my childhood. I remember watching his music video and live performances of "Smooth Criminal" in 88-89 when it was new. I remember being awed by his moonwalk and anti-gravity lean. I remember flipping to MTV, only hopping to catch a Jackson video and being filled with disappointment to find Bon Jovi instead. I was the only person I knew who bought his 2001 album Invincible, a shame because it was great. And while his death has thrown me in MJ Overdrive, his music has been regularly playing on my IPOD forever. Dirty Diana is among my 25 most played tracks out of over 5000 songs!

What's sad is that this is the most POSITIVE attention Jackson has gotten in the media in years-and it took his death to make people admit/ realize that despite how much they hated on him in life, he did mean SOMETHING to people. And while that something varies from person to person...everyone has some memory of him (even if it isn't a pleasant one).

The video of his last performance has been replaying over and over on CNN. Did he look healthy? Not really. Was it the performance level he gave at Motown's 25th Anniversary when he premiered the moonwalk? Hell No. But, it wasn't Britney's VMA "Gimme More" performance either, (as my friends had predicted). Ultimately, it showed homeboy could still perform.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?


A common, and very valid argument that critics have raised is that the Michael Jackson coverage has been so excessive that the story has been covered at the expensive of more important issues. It is absolutely true that there are more pressing issues then his death, I can't deny that. However, it is unfair to blame the lack of news coverage on important matters on Micheal Jackson. For even if Jackson hadn't died, the media would have ignored real news in favor of Farah or Billy Mays or the divorce of John & Kate plus 8. The media always has a sensational story to obsess over. Ultimately, I have been less critical of this obsession because I have been following it-thus it is partly my fault. I can't seem to tear myself away...which is why BBC is open on my laptop as I watch CNN's coverage.